An El Dorado man remained in the Union County jail Tuesday evening, a day after receiving a $100,000 bond during a first appearance hearing in 35th Judicial District Court for several felony charges.
Walter S. Eisenberg, 38, 112 Hollow Tree Circle, was arrested during a traffic early Monday morning as part of continued efforts by the El Dorado Police Department to use active search waivers to help curb drug activity in the city.
Hours after Eisenberg’s arrest, he appeared in district court for possession of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by certain persons, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Police said Eisenberg was a passenger inside a vehicle they stopped at approximately 2:15 a.m. in the area of College and Seventh. Officers noted that the vehicle did not have a license plate.
Officers learned that Eisenberg was on parole and had an active search waiver on file with the Arkansas Department of Community Correction.
In recent months, patrol officers and members of the Criminal Apprehension Division have been utilizing warrantless searches, which, per state law, are permitted as part of conditions for supervised probation or parole for defendants who have search waivers on file with the ADCC.
The driver of the vehicle was also on parole and had an active search waiver on file with the ADCC, police said.
During a search of the vehicle, police said they found a metal grinder with what appeared to be marijuana residue on top of a bag that was on the passenger floor. Also recovered from the passenger side of the vehicle was a syringe and a digital scale, police said.
Eisenberg reportedly told officers that he had gotten the bag from a residence and did not know what was inside the bag.
Inside the bag, officers found a loaded handgun and ammunition, a small bag of methamphetamine and a glass pipe with burn residue, according to a police report.
Eisenberg was taken into custody and the vehicle seized as evidence and towed from the scene.
Bond was set at $100,000, cash or corporate surety, during Eisenberg’s first appearance hearing in district court.
He was determined to be indigent and he will be appointed a public defender. If Eisenberg is released from the Union County Jail on bond, he is to abide by a daily curfew of 5 p.m. until 7 a.m.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or tlyons@ eldoradonews .com.